IN BRIEF (Page 17)

Xerox posts earnings hike

Xerox Corp said its cost-cutting efforts last year helped boost fourth-quarter profits. It also forecast a profit for the year above Wall Street estimates.

Though revenue fell for the quarter as businesses continued to scrimp on new equipment and supplies, the printer and copier maker said it earned $180 million, or 20 cents per share. That's up from earnings of $1 million a year earlier. Excluding charges related to its planned acquisition of outsourcer Affiliated Computer Services Inc, earnings came to 25 cents per share. Analysts expected 22 cents a share. Xerox said sales were down 3 percent to $4.2 billion.